Color coded mop pads and method of color coding same

ABSTRACT

A set of color coded mop pads includes a first mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a first colored piping on the periphery associated with a first use, and a second mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a second colored piping on the periphery associated with a second use. The color of the first colored piping is different from the color of the second colored piping and the first use is different from the second use. This configuration also provides a method for color coding mop pads.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/567,794 (filed May 5, 2004), 60/637,440 (filed Dec. 21, 2004), and 60/646,986 (filed Jan. 27, 2005), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

It can be desirable to designate particular mop pads, within a set of mop pads, for certain uses. It may be desirable to designate some mop pads for use in one location and other mop pads for use in another location. For example, to prevent cross-contamination, an environmental services manager may wish to ensure that mop pads used for disinfecting patient room floors in a hospital are not used in the hospital's common areas. As another example, a facility manager may wish to associate certain mop pads with specific locations to track the number of mop pads used over a time period in those locations.

It also may be desirable to designate some mop pads for one type of use and other mop pads for another type of use. As a specific example, to prevent cross-contamination, a facility manager may wish to designate certain mop pads for cleaning up hazardous materials and other mop pads for applying disinfectant.

Also, it may be desirable to designate mop pads for use only by particular users. The ability to correlate mop pads to users allows a facility manager to track the number of mop pads used by each user. Also, it allows the facility manager to determine whether particular users are experiencing losses of mop pads.

Mops have been designated for particular uses by color coding techniques that are less than optimal. For example, mops have been made entirely of a yarn of a particular color, and the mops are differentiated by using a different color yarn for each mop. This technique creates problems in manufacturing because large quantities of yarns of different colors must be stored, and the different yarns must be loaded on the manufacturing equipment when switching from one color mop to another. As another example, mops have been made with stitching of a particular color, and different color stitchings are used to differentiate mops. This technique also creates problems in manufacturing because different color stitchings must be stored and loaded on the manufacturing equipment when changing from type of mop to another. In addition, the distinguishing colors can be difficult to see when the mops are stacked or in use.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of coding mop pads. The method comprises the steps of providing a first mop pad, wherein the first mop pad is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a first colored piping associated with a first use and that extends along on at least a portion of the periphery of the mop portion of the first mop pad, and providing a second mop pad, wherein the second mop pad is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a second colored piping associated with a second use and that extends along at least a portion of the periphery of mop portion of the second mop pad. The color of the first colored piping is different from the color of the second colored piping and the first use is different from the second use.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a set of color coded mop pads. The set comprises a first mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a first colored piping on the periphery associated with a first use, and a second mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a second colored piping on the periphery associated with a second use. The color of the first colored piping is different from the color of the second colored piping and the first use is different from the second use.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a set of mop pads according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a mop pad according to the present invention taken along line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the mop pad of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a top view of the mop pad of FIG. 2, which is mounted on a mop pad support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. An effort has been made to use the same or like reference numbers throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a set of color coded mop pads. An embodiment of a set of color coded mop pads 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The mop pads in that figure are stacked on top of one another. The set of mop pads 10 preferably includes at least a first mop pad 15 and a second mop pad 20. The set of mop pads shown in FIG. 1 contains ten mop pads.

Each mop pad 15, 20 in the set 10 preferably is substantially identical, except for the color coding that will be described below. For ease of explanation, the specific structure of only the embodiment of the second mop pad 20 will be described, and it is to be understood that the first mop pad 15 preferably has the same structure.

The mop pad 20 preferably is substantially flat and has a mop portion 21 with a periphery 22. The mop portion 21 can include a plurality of layers 24, 26, 28. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an example of a mop pad 20 having a top layer 24, a middle layer 26, and a bottom layer 28. The top layer 24 preferably is formed of the loop side of VELCRO material. The middle layer 26 preferably is made of conventional foam used in mop pads. The bottom layer 28 preferably is formed of a knitted microfiber material, as is conventional in the art. The layers 24, 26, 28 can be connected by stitching 29, as shown in FIG. 2.

The mop pad 20 also includes colored piping 30 disposed along at least portion of the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21. The colored piping 30 can be, for example, polyester material. As shown in FIG. 3, preferably the colored piping 30 extends around the entire periphery 22 of the mop portion 21 of the mop pad 20. The colored piping 30 can be attached to a layer 24, 26, 28 in the mop portion 21 by stitching 32 (see FIG. 2) that extends through the colored piping 30 and the layer 24, 26, 28. Preferably the stitching 32 extends through the top and bottom layers 24, 28, and more preferably it extends through all three layers 24, 26, 28, as shown in FIG. 2. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the layers 24, 26, 28 of the mop portion 22 are stacked on top of one another and have peripheries 22′, 22″, 22′″ that are coextensive to form the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21. Should the peripheries 22′, 22″, 22′″ of the layers 24, 26, 28 not be coextensive (not shown), the colored piping 30 could extend along at least a portion of a periphery 22′, 22″, 22′″ of at least one of the layers 24, 26, 28.

The first mop pad 15 in the set 10 has colored piping of a first color (e.g., blue), and the second mop pad 20 has colored piping 30 of second color (e.g., green) that is different from the first color. Preferably, the colored piping 30 on an individual mop pad 15, 20 is uniform in color. The first color is associated with a first use, and the second color is associated with a second use that is different from the first use. The first and second uses can relate to, for example, a type of use, such as picking up hazardous material (first use) and applying disinfectant (second use). As another example, the first and second uses can relate to an area of use, such as mopping a hospital patient room floor (first use) and mopping a hospital lobby or other common area (second use). As yet another example, the first and second uses can relate to a user, such as mop pads for an employee on the day shift (first use) and mop pads for an employee on the night shift (second use).

The flat mop pad 20 preferably is attached to a mop pad support 40 (see FIG. 4). A preferred mop pad support 40 includes a frame 42 configured to retain a mop pad 20, a handle 44 for maneuvering the frame 42, and a joint mechanism 46 that connects the handle 44 to the frame 42. Such a preferred mop pad support is disclosed in a patent application that is to be concurrently filed by A. Reneau Van Landingham entitled “Mop Having Ergonomic Handle and Joint” (Ser. No. ______; Attorney Docket Number 086554-1179), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The VELCRO material layer 24 of the mop pad 20 can mate with hook side VELCRO strips (not shown) on the frame 42 of the mop pad support 40.

The mop pad can be used, for example, with a mop bucket having a foot pedal wringer mechanism and a scrub board. A preferred mop bucket is disclosed in a patent application that is to be concurrently filed by A. Reneau Van Landingham and Craig Rogers entitled “Bucket With Foot Pedal Wringer Mechanism and Scrub Board” (Ser. No. ______; Attorney Docket Number 086554-1173), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The mop pad also can be used, for example, with a disinfecting bucket. A disinfecting bucket is disclosed in a patent application that is to be concurrently filed by A. Reneau Van Landingham entitled “Disinfecting Bucket” (Ser. No. ______; Attorney Docket Number 086554-1172), the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Embodiments of the set 10 of mop pads 15, 20 of the present invention can be configured to resolve problems experienced with conventional mop pads. For example, providing colored piping 30 on the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21 of the mop pad 20 decreases manufacturing problems. It is not necessary to store different color yarn and stitching used to make the mops, and reload manufacturing equipment during manufacturing runs. Instead, the yarn and stitching can be maintained uniform, and only a different colored piping 30 need be applied to the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21 of the mop pad 20. Additionally, providing colored piping 30 on the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21 of the mop pad 20 enhances the ability to differentiate between mop pads 15, 20. Unlike the use of different color stitching, which can make it difficult to distinguish between the mops when they are stacked or in use, the mop pads 15, 20 of the present invention can be configured to provide high visibility. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the piping on the periphery of all mop pads 15, 20 in the set 10 can be readily seen. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the piping 30 on the periphery 22 of the mop portion 21 mop pad 20 can be readily seen even when the mop pad 20 is mounted on a mop pad support frame 42.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A method of coding mop pads, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first mop pad, wherein the first mop pad is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a first colored piping associated with a first use and that extends along on at least a portion of the periphery of the mop portion of the first mop pad; and providing a second mop pad, wherein the second mop pad is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a second colored piping associated with a second use and that extends along at least a portion of the periphery of mop portion of the second mop pad, wherein the color of the first colored piping is different from the color of the second colored piping and the first use is different from the second use.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second colored pipings are each uniform in color.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first colored piping extends around the entire periphery of the mop portion of the first mop pad and the second colored piping extends around the entire periphery of the mop portion of the second mop pad.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mop portion of the first mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material having substantially coextensive peripheries and the first colored piping extends along at least portion of the peripheries of the top and bottom layers of material, and the mop portion of the second mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material having substantially coextensive peripheries and the second colored piping extends along at least portion of the peripheries of the top and bottom layers of material.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mop portion of the first mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material and the first colored piping is attached to the top and bottom layers by stitching that extends through the top and bottom layers, and the mop portion of the second mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material and the second colored piping is attached to the top and bottom layers by stitching that extends through the top and bottom layers.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second uses are each at least one of a type of use, an area of use, and a user.
 7. A set of color coded mop pads, the set comprising: a first mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a first colored piping on the periphery associated with a first use; and a second mop pad that is substantially flat, has a mop portion with a periphery, and has a second colored piping on the periphery associated with a second use, wherein the color of the first colored piping is different from the color of the second colored piping and the first use is different from the second use.
 8. The set of color coded mop pads of claim 7, wherein the first and second colored pipings are each uniform in color.
 9. The set of color coded mop pads of claim 7, wherein the first colored piping extends around the entire periphery of the mop portion of the first mop pad and the second colored piping extends around the entire periphery of the mop portion of the second mop pad.
 10. The set of color coded mop pads of claim 7, wherein the mop portion of the first mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material having substantially coextensive peripheries and the first colored piping extends along at least portion of the peripheries of the top and bottom layers of material, and the mop portion of the second mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material having substantially coextensive peripheries and the second colored piping extends along at least portion of the peripheries of the top and bottom layers of material.
 11. The set of color coded mop pads of claim 7, wherein the mop portion of the first mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material and the first colored piping is attached to the top and bottom layers by stitching that extends through the top and bottom layers, and the mop portion of the second mop pad includes at least a top layer of material and a bottom layer of material and the second colored piping is attached to the top and bottom layers by stitching that extends through the top and bottom layers.
 12. The set of color coded mop pads of claim 7, wherein the first and second uses are each at least one of a type of use, an area of use, and a user. 